Spanish Language and Culture in Madrid
Cristina Martinez Carazo
Spanish Department
"I was born in Spain and traveling has always been a key part of my life. For over ten years I spent long summers in Morocco which gave me the necessary time to learn how to live in a different culture and to put my own native culture in perspective. Due to the fact that distances in Europe are relatively short I had the opportunity to travel around many European countries and see at the same time how close and how far Spain was from the rest of the continent.
Enthusiasm about traveling and interest in other cultures are key components of my life and they are the gifts that I am trying to pass to my students: the enthusiasm about knowing new cultures and the desire to live in a different country. I am a Professor in the Department of Spanish and teach courses in Spanish film, art, culture and literature. I have been leading UC Davis Summer Abroad and Quarter Abroad Programs in Spain for 18 years and this is the aspect of my job that I enjoy more. I am convinced that these international experiences permanently impact our students' lives and prepare them for the challenges of our global reality."
To learn more about Professor Martinez Carazo's background, visit her Spanish Department biography.